Theater-stage.



J. A. ISNER.

THEATER STAGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1911.

Patented Feb.27, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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J. A. ISNER.

THEATER STAGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1911,

1,018,499. Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAFH CUWWASHINGTON u. c.

PATEN OFFICE. I

JACQUES A. ISN'ER, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

THEATER-STAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Application filed May 11,

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

1911. Serial No. 626,562.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACQUES A. Islam, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new andv useful Improvements in Theater-Stages, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide movable stages, supplementary to the main or ordinary stages, in theaters or other public buildings having stages, which may be brought into use when desired and placed out of use at-ot-her times in a quick and ready manner, and which will not interfere materially with the customary usev of the space in front of the main stage.

In carrying out my invention I provide in front of the main or ordinary stage a movable stage or plat-form and supports for the latter substantially in alinement with the floor of the main stage and in front thereof and of its footlights, locating the same in position to be extended over the seats for the musicians or orchestra. By this means my improved supplemental stage or platform may be brought into use at such times as the curtain is down, as when scenery is being shifted, so that actors and the like may, upon the supplementarystage, enters tain the audience, without customary interruption usually entailed when the curtain is down.

My invention also comprises novel details ofimprovement and combinations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein,

Figure 1 is a partially sectional plan view of a portion of a theater stage provided with my improvements; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through my improved movable or supplementary stage, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3, 3, in Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 indicates, generally, the ordinary or main stageiii a theater or other building upon which performances, etc., are given. In front of stage 1,.and approximately in the location where the seats 2 for the musicians are located, I provide my improved movableor supplementary stage located just outside of the footlights. The seats 2 are omitted in Figs. 2 and 3. My

improved stage comprises a pair of parallel endless chains, belts or the like 3, having attached thereto boards 4, by any suitable or wellknown means, which chains are shown passing over-sprocket wheels 5 suitably spaced apart. are supported by shafts 6 shown extending at right angles to stage 1 and journ'aled in suitable bearings. The inner ends of upper shafts 6 are shown supported in bearings 7 The sprocket wheels 5 I hung from the stage, and the lower shafts in bearings -8 at the floor, while the outer ends of shafts 6 are supported in bearings 9, 10 that are carried by uprights 11 secured upon the main floor in any suitable manner, the uprights 11 being firmly braced at their upper ends by a beam or the like 12. Suitable guides 13, 14 are provided to receive the ends of the boards 4 that project beyond chains 3, for which purpose I have shown angle irons or beams, the guide 13 being secured along the front edge of the stage and the guide 14 supported by posts 11, as by being secured upon beam 12. The lower sprockets 5 project through the holes in the floor l at the musicians stand or orchestra, so that the chains and boards 4 may pass under floor 1 out of the way whennotin use. Any suitable means may be provided for. operating the movable stage. I have shown one of the shafts 6 provided with a gear 15 operated by a pinion 16 on a shaft 17 which may be turned by a crank 18, or by a motor, or in other suitable manner.

My improved movable stage maybe of any suitable length relatively to the front portion of the main stage 1, and may project outwardly any desired distance. When the movable or supplementary stage is not to be used the chains are operated to conceal the boards 4 beneath floor 1 so that the musicians may occupy their seats in customary manner, but when the movable orsupplementary stage is to be used the same is operated so that the boards 4 pass along the guides or supports 13, 14, as in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and thus fill up the space in front of main stage at or on. a substantial level therewith over the musicians seats. One or more actors may then perform upon the movable stage while the curtain of the main stage is lowered, 'or otherwise, and the movable stage will be securely held and maintained in position since the angle iron guides 13,14 not only support boards 4 but limit longitudinal motion thereof. There is little visual obstruction to the ordinary use of the main stage, since the uprights 11, guide 14 and sprocket wheels are more or less in skeleton form, and may be painted or embellished in any desired manner.

The advantage of my improvements is that the movable or supplementary stage does not interfere with the use of the ordinary stage, since the boards 4 may be removed when the main stage is to be used, and the audience may be entertained by the actors upon the movable stage when scenes are shifted, and thereby the customary waiting entailed upon the audience at such times may be avoided. It will be apparent that the actors may stepfrom the main stage to the movable or supplementary stage, or vice versa, in front of the curtain when that is lowered, without requiring special steps or means leading to the movable stage or plat form.

\Vhile I have shown a practical embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that changes may be made in the arrangements set forth, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention. I have used the term boards as meaning any suitable floor capable of being carried by the endless connections 3.

Having now described my invent-ion what I claim is 1. The combination of a main stage, with a supplementary stage, means in front of the main stage movably supporting the supplementary stage, and means for operating said movable stage.

2. The combination of a main stage, with a movable stage located in front of the main stage, means below the level of and in front of the first named stage for movably supporting the second named stage, and means for operating said movable stage.

3. The combination of a main stage, a plurality of endless connections in front thereof, means movably supporting said connections, and boards carried by said connections extending outwardly relatively to the main stage.

4. The combination of a main stage, and a plurality of endless connections in front thereof, means movably supporting said connections, boards carried by said connections extending outwardly relatively to the main stage, and supports located in front of the main stage for supporting said boards substantially in line therewith.

5. The combination of a main stage, a plurality of endless connections located in front thereof, boards attached to said connections extending outwardly in front of the main stage, rotative members in front of the main stage supporting said connections, and means for operating said members.

6. The combination of a main stage, a plurality of endless connectionslocated in front thereof, boards attached to said connections extending outwardly in front of the main stage, rotative members in front of the main stage supporting said connections, means for operating said members, and supports spaced apart and extending parallel with the front of the main stage to support the ends of said boards.

7. The combination of a main stage, uprights in front of and spaced therefrom, shafts supported upon said uprights and extending outwardly from the main stage, sprockets carried by said shafts, endless connections carried by said sprockets, and boards carried by said connections and ex tending outwardly in front of the stage.

8. The combination of a main stage, uprights in front of and spaced therefrom, shafts supported upon said uprights and extending outwardly from the main stage, sprockets carried by said shafts, endless connections carried by said sprockets, boards carried by said connections and extending outwardly in front of the stage, and parallel supports spaced apart in front of the main stage above the sprockets to receive the ends of the boards.

9. The combination of a main stage, uprights in front of and spaced therefrom, shafts supported upon said uprights and eX- tending outwardly from the main stage, sprockets carried by said shafts, endless con nections carried by said sprockets, boards carried by said connections and extending outwardly in front of the stage, and a floor in front of the main stage having openings through which said sprockets project to permit the passage of said boards beneath said floor.

10. The combination of a main stage, angle supports spaced apart and extending along the front of said stage, rotative members beneath said supports, means for rotativelv supporting said members, endless connections passing over said members, and boards carried by said endless connections and extending outwardly from the main stage, the ends of said boards projecting beyond'said connections to rest upon said sup ports and abut the side members thereof.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 1st day of May, A. D. 1911.

JACQUES A. ISNER.

Witnesses:

T. F. BoURNn, HERMAN HERST.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

